Officer involved in fatal crash pleads guilty

Bill Gang

Tuesday, July 28, 1998 | 10:49 a.m.

The Metro Police officer involved in the head-on collision that killed a local magician has pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts and is headed back to driving school while he saves up for an expected $2,000 fine.

Officer Edward V. Jones, who was suspended by Sheriff Jerry Keller for a month over the incident, made his plea Friday before Justice of the Peace Bill Jansen and will return there Sept. 24 for formal sentencing.

If Jones completes Metro's driving school, he will be fined $2,000. If not, he could be sentenced to up to a year in the Clark County Detention Center.

It was on June 27 that Jones's car, with its red lights and siren activated, drifted over the center line at a curve on Industrial Road near Oquendo Road while racing to a call and struck the motorcycle ridden by Anthony "Chappy" Brazil.

Although the domestic violence call involved a report of a man with a gun, the Clark County District Attorney's Office decided last week to file criminal charges against Jones of careless driving and failure to maintain travel lane.

Two days later Jones, a 35-year-old two-year Metro veteran, pleaded guilty to those counts.

The decision by prosecutors came after an independent accident reconstruction expert investigated the collision site and data and determined Jones was traveling about double the posted 35 mph speed limit.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Dan Bowman stated, "There is no indication of any improper driving on behalf of Brazil"

Bowman said that while "the public wants vehicle response ... as soon as possible in an emergency ... it is critical that even emergency vehicles exercise a certain level of care."

The Nevada Legislature specified that police have the right to exceed the speed limit in emergency situations, but that "does not relieve the driver from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons and does not protect the driver from the consequences of his reckless disregard for the safety of others," he said.

Brazil, 34, died instantly in the collision. Jones was treated for minor head injuries.

Brazil, a Las Vegas resident, had portrayed Octavius in the Caesars Magical Empire since the magic stage show opened at Caesars Palace hotel-casino in June 1996.